Kajang rep quits for by-election, Anwar or Rafizi slated to stand

Published: 27 January 2014 5:19 PM

PKR Kajang assemblyman Lee Chin Cheh has resigned today, setting the stage for a by-election and speculation is mounting that opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim or another PKR leader would contest to become the Selangor Menteri Besar.

Among those believed to be named for the seat include Pandan MP's Rafizi Ramli, a first-term lawmaker and one of the party's brightest political stars.

Selangor State speaker Hannah Yeoh has confirmed Lee's resignation.

She said that Lee personally handed in his resignation letter to her Monday, and that the Election Commission would be informed on Tuesday.

The 42-year-old lawyer, specialising in corporate law and conveyancing, joined PKR in 2008 after being a Gerakan member for 10 years.

The former Petaling Jaya City Councillor replaced the popular Lee Kim Sin in the last election.

Lee secured 19,571 votes, winning the Kajang seat with a 6,824-vote majority in a six-cornered fight against candidates from the Barisan Nasional, Berjasa and three Independents.

Lee’s resignation came at the end of a day when speculation was rife that Selangor Menteri Tan Seri Khalid Ibrahim was resigning to make way for Anwar to take over.

"I am still the Selangor Menteri Besar and I am not going anywhere," said Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said, in response to speculation that he is resigning.

Abdul Khalid said there have been no discussions with PKR supremo Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on the latter replacing him as Menteri Besar.

He said he has not received any word from the Selangor palace on any change to the menteri besar's post, stressing that the palace has to be informed of critical changes to the state's administration.

"I strongly deny these rumours and I hope that the media is more careful in its speculation. Do your research first. There is a process that has to be done first if change were to take place.

"I have spoken to him (Anwar), but our discussions were on other matters. This (Abdul Khalid's resignation) did not crop up," the Selangor MB said, while distributing oranges in Klang earlier today. - January 27, 2014.

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